For a passionate booster like Pat McAfee, a recruiting loss stings. Two in one week feels like a targeted blow, and that’s exactly what West Virginia is reeling from. The first blow came with the loss of legacy recruit Chris Henry Jr., but the second, a highly touted quarterback that Pat McAfee had personally championed, confirmed a brutal week for the Mountaineers.

After a standout freshman year, California Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele found himself at the center of transfer speculation. His production and playstyle drew national attention, including from Pat McAfee, who openly hoped West Virginia would pursue him. Sagapolutele ended the rumors by confirming on X that he intends to remain at Cal.

“God is good. Mahalo to #CoachLup for coming to visit me and my family in HI. I believe in Cal and what this football program is capable of,” Sagapolutele wrote in his post.

Sagapolutele closed the regular season, completing 288 of 453 attempts for 3,117 yards, with a 63.6 percent completion rate. He also recorded 17 touchdowns and showed a strong ability to create opportunities and attack tight windows, making him one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the country. McAfee had been especially vocal in praising the freshman.

“That Sagapolutele kid. He’s got a 3.75 GPA. I looked it up. 3.75 GPA. Six foot three. Because when you watch him play, it’s like ‘this guy’s got to be just all ball. This guy’s got to be absolute.’ [He] can move, and he’s humble sh-t… Yeah, he throws darts, and it’s fun, and he’s making guys open with his throws,” he said back in September. “I think it was week one, and instead he goes, he literally drops it front shoulder on the guy. It’s like that was a 43‑yard ball into a bucket… It’s like this guy is the one next offseason. I can’t wait till West Virginia goes and says, ‘Aloha, Mahalo for everything you’re about to do for our state.’”

Sagapolutele’s announcement also suggests he made his decision after Cal hired new head coach Tosh Lupoi. Lupoi spent the past three seasons as Oregon’s defensive coordinator, finishing each year with a top-25 defensive unit. His return to California reflects his connection to the program, where he played from 2000 to 2005.

This marks West Virginia’s second missed opportunity with a potential recruit, following the loss of 2026 Mater Dei’s running back prospect Chris Henry Jr. to Ohio State.

Pat McAfee’s WVU faced a double loss in less than a week

Despite securing strong commitments from four-star offensive tackle Kevin Brown and safety Matt Sieg, WVU has missed out on two high-profile targets. Along with Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, the Mountaineers had hoped to make Chris Henry Jr. a key part of their offense next season. Optimism briefly grew when Henry Jr. delayed submitting his paperwork after Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline accepted the head coaching job at South Florida.

However, Henry Jr. ultimately reached his decision after reassessing his options.

“I really just had to take time and step back to reevaluate everything,” Henry Jr. said before declaring his commitment to the Buckeyes. “It’s the right fit for me, and they’ve been in my heart ever since I committed.”

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For WVU fans and Pat McAfee, the news was especially disappointing. Many believed the program had a legitimate chance because of Henry Jr.’s family ties to Morgantown. His father, Chris Henry, starred at wide receiver for WVU before moving on to the NFL, where he played five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.